This study explored the relationship between serum ferritin and hepcidin in athletes. Baseline serum ferritin levels of 54 athletes from the control trial of five investigations conducted in our ...laboratory were considered; athletes were grouped according to values <30 μg/L (SF<30), 30-50 μg/L (SF30-50), 50-100 μg/L (SF50-100), or >100 μg/L (SF>100). Data pooling resulted in each athlete completing one of five running sessions: (1) 8 × 3 min at 85% vVO2peak; (2) 5 × 4 min at 90% vVO2peak; (3) 90 min continuous at 75% vVO2peak; (4) 40 min continuous at 75% vVO2peak; (5) 40 min continuous at 65% vVO2peak. Athletes from each running session were represented amongst all four groups; hence, the mean exercise duration and intensity were not different (p>0.05). Venous blood samples were collected pre-, post- and 3 h post-exercise, and were analysed for serum ferritin, iron, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hepcidin-25. Baseline and post-exercise serum ferritin levels were different between groups (p<0.05). There were no group differences for pre- or post-exercise serum iron or IL-6 (p>0.05). Post-exercise IL-6 was significantly elevated compared to baseline within each group (p<0.05). Pre- and 3 h post-exercise hepcidin-25 was sequentially greater as the groups baseline serum ferritin levels increased (p<0.05). However, post-exercise hepcidin levels were only significantly elevated in three groups (SF30-50, SF50-100, and SF>100; p<0.05). An athlete's iron stores may dictate the baseline hepcidin levels and the magnitude of post-exercise hepcidin response. Low iron stores suppressed post-exercise hepcidin, seemingly overriding any inflammatory-driven increases.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Youth footballers need to be developed to meet the technical, tactical, and physical demands of professional level competition, ensuring that the transition between competition levels is successful. ...To quantify the physical demands, peak match intensities have been measured across football competition tiers, with team formations and tactical approaches shown to influence these physical demands. To date, no research has directly compared the physical demands of elite youth and professional footballers from a single club utilising common formations and tactical approaches. The current study quantified the total match and peak match running demands of youth and professional footballers from a single Australian A-League club. GPS data were collected across a single season from both a professional (n = 19; total observations = 199; mean ± SD; 26.7 ± 4.0 years) and elite youth (n = 21; total observations = 59; 17.9 ± 1.3 years) team. Total match demands and peak match running demands (1-10 min) were quantified for measures of total distance, high-speed distance >19.8 km·h-1 and average acceleration. Linear mixed models and effect sizes identified differences between competition levels. No differences existed between competition levels for any total match physical performance metric. Peak total and high-speed distances demands were similar between competitions for all moving average durations. Interestingly, peak average acceleration demands were lower (SMD = 0.63-0.69) in the youth players across all moving average durations. The data suggest that the development of acceleration and repeat effort capacities is crucial in youth players for them to transition into professional competition.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
To investigate the influence of daily oral iron supplementation on changes in hemoglobin mass (Hbmass) and iron parameters after 2-4 weeks of moderate altitude exposure.
Hematological data collected ...from 178 athletes (98 males, 80 females) exposed to moderate altitude (1,350-3,000 m) were analysed using linear regression to determine how altitude exposure combined with oral iron supplementation influenced Hbmass, total iron incorporation (TII) and blood iron parameters ferritin and transferrin saturation (TSAT).
Altitude exposure (mean ± s: 21 ± 3 days) increased Hbmass by 1.1% -0.4, 2.6, 3.3% 1.7, 4.8, and 4.0% 2.0, 6.1 from pre-altitude levels in athletes who ingested nil, 105 mg and 210 mg respectively, of oral iron supplement daily. Serum ferritin levels decreased by -33.2% -46.9, -15.9 and 13.8% -32.2, 9.7 from pre-altitude levels in athletes who supplemented with nil and 105 mg of oral iron supplement daily, but increased by 36.8% 1.3, 84.8 in athletes supplemented with 210 mg of oral iron daily. Finally, athletes who ingested either 105 mg or 210 mg of oral iron supplement daily had a greater TII compared with non-supplemented athletes (0 versus 105 mg: effect size (d) = -1.88 -2.56, -1.17; 0 versus 210 mg: effect size (d) = -2.87 -3.88, -1.66).
Oral iron supplementation during 2-4 weeks of moderate altitude exposure may enhance Hbmass production and assist the maintenance of iron balance in some athletes with low pre-altitude iron stores.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Temporal changes in the total running demands of professional football competition have been well documented, with absolute running demands decreasing in the second half. However, it is unclear ...whether the peak match running demands demonstrate a similar decline. A total of 508 GPS files were collected from 44 players, across 68 matches of the Australian A-League. GPS files were split into the 1
and 2
half, with the peak running demands of each half quantified across 10 moving average durations (1-10 min) for three measures of running performance (total distance, high-speed distance > 19.8 km
h
and average acceleration). Players were categorised based on positional groups: attacking midfielder (AM), central defender (CD), defensive midfielder (DM), striker (STR), wide defender (WD) and winger (WNG). Linear mixed models and effect sizes were used to identify differences between positional groups and halves. Peak running demands were lower in the second half for STR across all three reported metrics (ES = 0.60-0.84), with peak average acceleration lower in the second half for DM, WD and WNG (ES = 0.60-0.70). Irrespective of match half, AM covered greater peak total distances than CD, STR, WD and WIN (ES = 0.60-2.08). Peak high-speed distances were greater across both halves for WIN than CD, DM and STR (ES = 0.78-1.61). Finally, STR had lower peak average acceleration than all positional groups across both halves (ES = 0.60-1.12). These results may help evaluate implemented strategies that attempt to mitigate reductions in second half running performance and inform position specific training practices.
The relationship between pretraining subjective wellness and external and internal training load in American college football is unclear.
To examine the relationship of pretraining subjective ...wellness (sleep quality, muscle soreness, energy, wellness Z score) with player load and session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE-TL) in American college football players.
Subjective wellness (measured using 5-point, Likert-scale questionnaires), external load (derived from GPS and accelerometry), and s-RPE-TL were collected during 3 typical training sessions per week for the second half of an American college football season (8 wk). The relationship of pretraining subjective wellness with player load and s-RPE training load was analyzed using linear mixed models with a random intercept for athlete and a random slope for training session. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) denote the effect magnitude.
A 1-unit increase in wellness Z score and energy was associated with trivial 2.3% (90% confidence interval CI 0.5, 4.2; SMD 0.12) and 2.6% (90% CI 0.1, 5.2; SMD 0.13) increases in player load, respectively. A 1-unit increase in muscle soreness (players felt less sore) corresponded to a trivial 4.4% (90% CI -8.4, -0.3; SMD -0.05) decrease in s-RPE training load.
Measuring pretraining subjective wellness may provide information about players' capacity to perform in a training session and could be a key determinant of their response to the imposed training demands American college football. Hence, monitoring subjective wellness may aid in the individualization of training prescription in American college football players.
Iron metabolism research in the past decade has identified menstrual blood loss as a key contributor to the prevalence of iron deficiency in premenopausal females. The reproductive hormones estrogen ...and progesterone influence iron regulation and contribute to variations in iron parameters throughout the menstrual cycle. Despite the high prevalence of iron deficiency in premenopausal females, scant research has investigated female-specific causes and treatments for iron deficiency. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion of factors that influence iron status in active premenopausal females, with a focus on the menstrual cycle. We also outline several practical guidelines for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating iron deficiency in premenopausal females. Finally, we highlight several areas for further research to enhance the understanding of iron metabolism in this at-risk population.
Peak match running intensities have recently been introduced to quantify the peak running demands of football competition, across incremental time intervals, to inform training practices. However, ...their between-match variation is yet to be comprehensively reported, limiting the ability to determine meaningful changes in peak match running intensities. The current study aimed to quantify the between-match variability in peak match running intensities across discrete moving average durations (1–10 min). GPS data were collected from 44 elite football players across 68 matches (mean ± SD; 13 ± 10 observations per player). For inclusion players must have completed 70mins of a match across a minimum of two matches. Performance metrics included total and high-speed (> 19.8 km·h-1) running distances and average acceleration (m·s -2), expressed relative to time. For each metric, the coefficient of variation and smallest worthwhile difference were calculated. The peak match running intensity data was similar to previously reported data from various football competitions. The between-match CV of relative total distance ranged between 6.8–7.3%, with the CV for average acceleration and relative high-speed running being 5.4–5.8% and 20.6–29.8%, respectively. The greater variability observed for relative high-speed running is likely reflective of the varying constraints and contextual factors that differ between matches. The reported between-match variability helps to provide context when interpreting match performance and prescribing training drills using peak match running intensity data.
PURPOSEIron is integral for erythropoietic adaptation to hypoxia, yet the importance of supplementary iron compared to existing stores is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to ...compare the magnitude of the haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) response to altitude in athletes supplemented with intravenous (IV), oral or placebo iron supplementation.
METHODSThirty-four, non-anaemic, endurance-trained athletes completed 3 weeks of simulated altitude (3000 m, 14h.d), receiving either 2-3 bolus iron injections (ferric carboxymaltose), daily oral iron supplementation (ferrous sulphate) or a placebo, commencing 2 weeks prior to and throughout altitude exposure. Hbmass and markers of iron regulation were assessed at baseline (day -14), immediately prior to (day 0), weekly during (days 8, 15), and immediately, 1, 3 and 6 weeks after the completion of altitude exposure (days 22, 28, 42 and 63).
RESULTSHbmass significantly increased following altitude in IV (Mean%, 90% CI3.7%, 2.8, 4.7) and oral (3.2%, 2.2, 4.2), and remained elevated at 7 days post-altitude in oral (2.9%, 1.5, 4.3) and 21 days post in IV (3.0%, 1.5, 4.6). Hbmass was not significantly higher than baseline at any time point in placebo.
CONCLUSIONIron supplementation appears necessary for optimal erythropoietic adaptation to altitude exposure. Intravenous iron supplementation during three weeks of simulated LHTL altitude training offered no additional benefit in terms of the magnitude of the erythropoietic response for non-anaemic endurance athletes compared to oral supplementation.
The peak match running demands of football (soccer) have been quantified across time durations of 1–10 min, however, little is known as to when the peak match running demands occur within match play. ...Data were collected from 44 elite footballers, across 68 fixtures (Files = 413, mean ± SD; 11 ± 8 observations per player, range; 1–33), with peak match running demands quantified for each playing half at ten incremental rolling average durations (1 min rolling averages, 2 min rolling averages, etc.). Data were assessed if players completed the full match. Three measures of running performance were assessed total distance (TD), high-speed distance (> 19.8 km·h-1) (HSD) and average acceleration (AveAcc), with the in-game commencement time of the peak running demands recorded. Descriptive statistics and normality were calculated for each rolling average duration, with the self-containment of shorter rolling average epochs within longer epochs also assessed (e.g. Do the 1 min peak running demands occur within the 10 min peak running demands). Peak TD and AveAcc demands occurred early in each half (median time = 7–17 min and 6–16 min, respectively). Conversely, peak HSD covered was uniformly distributed (Skewness = 0–0.5, Kurtosis = 1.7–2.0). There were low-moderate levels of self-containment for each peak match running period (10–51%), dependent upon metric. Peak match running demands for TD and AveAcc occurred at similar stages of a match where TD and acceleration volumes are typically greatest, whereas peak HSD demands appeared more unpredictable. These timings may help inform training prescriptions in preparation of athletes for competition.
The recent launch of the new National elite women's football competitions in Australia has seen a 20-50% increase in grassroots female participation. With the growing participation across grassroots ...to elite competitions, understanding the health of female athletes should be prioritized. In elite level athletes, hormonal contraceptive (HC) use is common (~50%), however, little is known about the prevalence and reasons for use and disuse of HC in elite female football athletes. As such, the impact of HC use is often not considered when monitoring the health of female footballers. This study involved a subset of data collected as part of a larger questionnaire investigating menstrual cycle function, hormonal contraception use, and the interaction with training load volume and perceived performance in elite female football code athletes. A total of 177 participants completed the questionnaire across three football codes within Australia (rugby league, rugby union/sevens, Australian football). One third (
= 58) of athletes were currently using HC, predominately in the form of an oral contraceptive pill (OC,
= 47). Reasons for use included: to avoid pregnancy (71%); to control/regulate cycle (38%); and to reduce menstrual pain (36%). However, most athletes using an OC (89%) could not identify the type of pill used (e.g., mono-, bi-, or triphasic). The main reason for disuse was due to the negative side effects (
= 23), such as mood swings, weight gain, and depression/anxiety. Comparing HC users and non-users, there were no statistical differences in the number of reported menstrual symptoms, use of medication to relieve menstrual pain, or frequency for needing to adapt training due to their menstrual cycle (
> 0.05). Since most athletes were unaware of the type of OC they used, female football athletes require further education about the different types of HC, and specifically OC, available to them. Similarities in the symptoms experienced, pain management, and training adaptation requirements between groups suggests that HC use may not have the intended outcome for certain athletes. As such, greater awareness of athlete's personal experiences with the menstrual cycle, how HC may influence their experience, and acknowledgment of non-pharmacological methods to help manage menstrual cycle related symptoms are warranted.